FLX on the Wild Side Comparing Classic to Edgy Expressions of FLX Varietals Society of Wine Educators 41 st Annual Conference Portland, OR August 11, 2017
Speakers Lorraine Hems Lecturer at the Rochester Institute of Technology and New York Wine and Culinary Center SWE - CWE, CSS, Board of Directors WSET Level 3 CS with CMS AWS Certified Wine Judge and Instructor Bob Madill Wine Industry Liaison, Finger Lakes Wine Alliance Brand Ambassador, Glenora associated wineries Wine Director, Kindred Fare restaurant Board Member, International Riesling Foundation CS, with CMS, WSET Level 3 AWS Certified Wine Judge and Instructor
Finger Lakes Wine Alliance Incorporated in 2004 33 wineries working together to promote the visibility of the Finger Lakes. Mission Statement To increase the visibility and reputation of the Finger lakes appellation, its wines and wineries; as North America s preeminent cool-climate winegrowing region.
Outline FLX location & American Viticultural Area Landform & geology Growing circumstances & Lake-effect Terroir Current FLX Wine Industry Tasting of 11 FLX wines Paul Hobbs Riesling project
Where are the Finger Lakes?
Where are the Finger Lakes?
Finger Lakes Geography: 10,000 Years in the Making Protected by Lake Ontario (north) and Lake Erie (West) 11 long, finger-like parallel lakes oriented North to South Carved by the Ice Age glacial movement Main winegrowing lakes are Keuka, Seneca, and Cayuga Among the deepest lakes in North America 450 to 600 feet deep with some reaching below sea level
Finger Lakes Viticultural Area
Breathtaking Vineyard and Lake Views
Keuka Lake Looking West
Where are the Finger Lakes? Finger Lakes vineyards lie between ~ 42 N to 43 N latitude Global in the same range Northern Hemisphere: California-Oregon border Bandol, France Rioja, Spain Follonica (Tuscany) Italy Tonghua City, Jilin Province Southern Hemisphere Hobart (Tasmania), Australia Trelew (Chabut), Argentina Christchurch, New Zealand
Timeline
Finger Lakes Geology Finger Lakes has several different soil series. The major differences among these soil series are grain size distribution (texture) and protolith composition, especially the presence of clay and/or limestone in the subsurface or constituting a significant percentage of glacial clasts in till or reworked fluvial sediments. Grain size and texture mainly affect drainage, a critical parameter of vineyard performance. Limestone affects both Ca content and ph, whereas clay affects the availability of Ca, Mg, and K, all essential vine nutrients
Geology Yellow Genessee Group and Tully Limestone Purple Shales
Terroir: Sense of Place Ancient glacial activity and flooding created in the Finger Lakes produced very complex soil patterns The greatest wine-growing regions in the world, the Finger Lakes proudly among them, have soils rich in: Limestone Shale Gravel FLX: Gravelly & low organic sites to loamy & fertile Site-Specificity: Vineyards planted on varying soils show great minerality and fruit characteristics that are specific to underlying soils
Deep Gorges & Shale
DEEP Lakes - Seneca
Finger Lakes: Topography Varying Slopes and Aspects
Why do the Lakes Matter? The Lake Effect Great Lakes + FLX moderates Continental Climate Lake effect = f (distance from Great Lakes + distance from a Finger lake + rise in elevation) Vineyard character/diversity = f (distance from water + elevation + glaciated soils + aspect (east/west facing)) Vineyard locations vary in rainfall & water availability, soil retention capacity Seasonal complexity and variation very evident in the wines.
The Lake Effect Lake Ontario to the North & Lake Erie to the West Warm air currents in the winter Cool air currents in the summer Northern FLX vineyards closer and southern farther away Depth of Finger lakes provides beneficial lake effect to the vineyards planed on the shores Warmer minimum temperatures in the winter Cooler maximum temperatures in the summer
Vineyards Planted East and West on Sloping Lakeshores
Effect of Proximity to Lake Ontario
Winter 2013-2014
Wineries & Vineyards Today Over 130 Finger Lakes wineries 9,500 acres of grapes 23% Vinifera 2,200 acres 8,400 tons 400,000 cases Growing acreage of Vinifera plantings Focus on Riesling (~40%) & Aromatic Whites (~50%) Whites ~65% Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Gruner Veltliner Reds Cabernet Franc, Lemberger, Pinot Noir
FLX Vineyards Cornell Grape Program
Wineries & Vineyards Today 2011 USDA Vineyard Survey
Vinifera Plantings
Riesling: King of Finger Lakes Whites ~950 acres + 60% since 2006 ~3500 tons ~200,000 cases ~5% of U.S. Riesling market Even-distribution of Dry, Med-Dry, Med- Sweet Stylistic diversity Dry - Lean, taut, mineral Med Dry - savory Med Sweet - lush, fleshy Sweet dessert style Ice Wine, Late-Harvest Sparkling new -small quantities
Finger Lakes Vintages 2013 to 2016 Finger Lakes Vintage Weather GDD = growing degree days - over 50 and under 89 Bob Madill 2013 Winter Spring Summer Fall GDD Overall March & April May & June July & Aug Sept & Oct Temp average slow warming a bit cooler dryer 2575 a bit cooler & wetter Rain a bit wetter ensured ripening 27.1 average wines 2014 Rain in. ~ earlier drinking Temp colder than norm average average cooler normal 2478 close to average Rain some injury very wet July very dry Sept 24.2 fresh whites & reds 2015 Temp colder than norm a bit warmer warmer & dry Sept 2657 lighter crop Rain some injury very wet June a bit drier an early vintage 24.5 good balance & expression 2016 Temp warmer than norm cool bit above norm very warm above normal 2854 Rain Feb 14th! below norm dry driest in 40 yrs dry Sept & wet Oct 15.7 expressive reds drought and whites
2013 & 2014 - Growing Degree Days LT Avg. = 40 year average GDD=Sum (Daily Max Temp-Min Temp)/2-50 April to Oct. 31 2013 & 2014 - Rainfall
2015 & 2016 - Growing Degree Days 2015 & 2016 - Rainfall
Tasting White Wines
Tasting Red Wines
Tasting White Wines 1. Billsboro, Dry Rose 2016 2. Dr. Frank, Celebre Sparkling Rose NV 3. Anthony Road, Skin Ferment Chardonnay 2014 4. Bellangelo, Bench Riesling 2015 5. Ch LaFayette Reneau, Dry Riesling 2014 6. Red Newt, Limited Engagement Gewurztraminer 2014 7. Keuka Spring, Gewurztraminer 2016
Tasting 1. Billsboro, Dry Rose 2016 Opened 2007 Northwest side of Seneca Lake Winemaker and Owner - Vinny Aliperti (also at Atwater) facing) 55% Pinot Noir, 27% Cab Franc, 18% Cab Sauvignon PN from Cayuga Lake east facing CF & CS from Sawmill Creek Vineyard on East Seneca (west CF & CS co-fermented All lots had six hour skin contact before pressing followed by fermentation Different yeast strains, filtered, no fining.
View From Glenora on Seneca Lake Facing East to Sawmill Creek Vineyard
Tasting 2. Dr. Konstantin Frank, Célèbre Sparkling Rose NV Winery in 1962, first sparkling in 1985; still family owned West side of Keuka Lake Cellar Master - Eric Bauman since 2005 Cremant-style, méthode champenoise 55% Pinot Meunier, 45% Pinot Noir 100% 2014 Whole cluster pressed then fermented as whites Blended with Pinot Noir still wine 19+ months tirage (on lees) Progressive disgorgement.
Tasting 3. Anthony Road, Skin Ferment Chardonnay 2014 Planted vineyards in 1973, started winery in 1990; still family owned West side of Seneca Lake Winemaker - Peter Becraft Machine harvested then transferred to bins and inoculated Punchdowns once per day for ~ 12 days Free run transferred to tank Remained on lees ~ 10 m without battonage (lees stirring) no malolactic fermentation Not fined, filtered then bottled
Tasting 4. Bellangelo, Bench Riesling 2015 (barrel fermented) Vines in 1886 and Chris Missick bought winery in 2011 West side of Seneca Lake Winemaker - Chris Missick https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0127/5802/files/a_sense_of_place_3 rdedition_-_bellangelo_flx_book.pdf?13668318407247149436 with lees Kashong Glen Vineyard NW shore Seneca Lake, shallow soil small berries Pressed & settled for 3-4 days Transferred to 5 year old French barrels Ambient yeast (not innoculated) & malolactic, ~ 9 months on full No battonage, filtered not fined
Tasting 5. Chateau LaFayette Reneau, Dry Riesling 2014 First vintage in 1986 Southeast side of Seneca lake Winemaker - Tim Miller since 1996 Estate fruit machine harvested then pressed 3 days cold settled then racked into tank Inoculated with yeast and fermented ~ 30 days cool at 52F Remained on light lees at cellar temperature for 7 to 9 months Bottled on June 5 and Aug 5
Ch LaFayette Reneau on Seneca Lake Facing West
Ch LaFayette Reneau on Seneca Lake Facing West
Ch LaFayette Reneau on Seneca Lake Facing West
Tasting 6. Red Newt, Limited Engagement Gewurztraminer 2014 1998; still family owned Southeast side of Seneca Lake Winemaker - Kelby Russell Bistro, too Fruit from Curry Creek Vineyards on east side Seneca Lake 3 day active cold soak on skins with dry ice Used only press fraction, settled 72 hours, racked into oak, inoculated, light stirring at end of fermentation, In oak for 6 months, full ml, lees stirring biweekly Filtered not fined, bottled
Tasting 7. Keuka Spring, Gewurztraminer 2016 Since 1985; still family owned Northeast side of Keuka Lake Winemaker - August Deimel Five lots each with a different yeast and temperature Picked ~ 10 days apart, 3 vineyards variance in character ~ 90% tank fermented & 10% barrel fermented 24 hour cold soak (dry ice) Fermented at 60-65F for ~ 60 days then halted by cooling Rested for 8 to 9 months on lees
Tasting Red Wines 8. Knapp, Unoaked Cabernet Franc 2016 9. Damiani, Barrel Select Cabernet Franc 2013 10. Fox Run, Lemberger 2015 11. McGregor, Black Russian Reserve 2013
Tasting 8. Knapp, Unoaked Caberent Franc 2016 1984 West side of Cayuga Lake Winemaker - Jerry Van Vort Restaurant, too temp. Vineyard on Skaneateles lake, east facing. Leaf pulling for cluster exposure to reduce methoxy pyrazines. Destremmed & crushed into 1 ton bins, additions made. 3-4 punchdowns/day for 10-12 days, ~ 85F peak fermentation Press fraction back blended for structure. Adjusted to ~ 5 grams/l rs, filtered then bottled.
Tasting 9. Damiani, Barrel Select Cabernet Franc 2013 2003 Southeast side of Seneca Lake Winemaker - Phil Arras L. Damiani vineyard on east side Seneca Lake facing west. Leaf removal on fruit set-bunch closure on both sides Opened clusters to sun to mitigate methoxy pyrazines Hand sorted grape clusters on pad Destemmed into 1 ton bins, then innoculated with yeast ~ 14 days on skins with a max temp of 75F (lowish) Free run transferred into tank to settle
Tasting 9. Damiani, Barrel Select Cabernet Franc 2013 (continued) Press lot transferred directly to barrel newer oak Stirred every 2 weeks for 3 to 4 months until malolactic finished. 15 months in oak (French & US) Lab blending trials to select 5 best barrels Racked tanks several times to settle & clarify Final wine - 20% new oak & 20% press fraction Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting 10. Fox Run, Lemberger 2015 Dairy farm; vines in 1984 and Scott Osborn + since 1994 Lemberger planted in 1996 on the west side of Seneca Lake Winemaker - Peter Bell since 1995 Bistro, too barrel Planted in 1996, ~ 3.5 acres facing east on Seneca Lake Machine harvested, destemmed (to remove MOG), inoculated Temperature spike in high 80's about mid ferment (15 to 6 brix) to ensure full extraction Pressed at dryness into tank then settled Transferred into French & US oak (none new), malolactic in 12 months in barrel, filtered and bottled
Tasting 11. McGregor, Black Russian Reserve 2013 1980, still family owned - southeast side of Keuka Lake Winemaker - Jeff Dencenberg Saperavi (Vitis Vinifera, Georgia Planted in 1980 from Dr. Frank Scion wood McGregor s first Saperavi wine was produced in 1990 ~ 10 days fermentation at 62 79F Pressed into new and used US barrels, malolactic in barrel After 36 months in oak racked into tank Egg white fined, cold stabilized, filtered and bottled
Keuka Lake Looking West
Finger Lakes
Hobbs & Selbach Project on Seneca Lake
Hobbs & Selbach Riesling Project on Seneca Lake
Hobbs & Selbach Project on Seneca Lake
Acknowledgements Finger Lakes Wine Alliance & Wineries www.fingerlakeswinealliance.com Cornell Cooperative Extension Finger Lakes Grape Program www.flgp.cce.cornell.edu/ Society of Wine Educators www.societyofwineeducators.org/
See You Soon on the FLX Side Saturday night s Gala reception 2018 SWE Conference in the LAKES! FINGER
Thank you! Lorraine Hems lehism@rit.edu Bob Madill rjmadill@gmail.com